Suchergebnisse

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is becoming a universally accepted intervention in providing psychosocial support to individuals and families affected by trauma or disaster. Our study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a didactic and simulation based Psychological First Aid (PFA) training program in Alberta, Canada. Social work students, practitioners, and human service professionals from Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge were invited to attend the training. A total of 90 participants attended the training at three different sites. A pre and post survey questionnaire was administered to all the participants before and after the training. Findings showed that the training has significantly improved participants' PFA knowledge and perceived competence in PFA skill. PFA training enhanced their confidence, disaster preparedness, and self-care strategies needed to provide psychosocial support to individuals and families in disaster situations. Our study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of the PFA training program among social work students, practitioners and human service professionals for future disaster preparedness in Alberta, Canada.Keywords: Psychological first aid, social work, disaster preparedness, training, competency, effectiveness, Canada

The 2013 flood resulted in devastating impacts for immigrant children, youth, and families in Alberta, Canada. This article presents the findings of the Alberta Resilient Communities (ARC) Project, a collaborative research initiative that aimed to better understand the social, economic, health, cultural, spiritual, and personal factors that contribute to resiliency among children and youth. The study findings indicate that immigrant children and youth resilience is tied to four main themes: 1) Constructive parental responses; 2) Effective school support; 3) Active involvement in/with community; and 4) Connections between disasters and the environment. Community influencer participants revealed flood recovery challenges experienced by immigrant families that affected their settlement and integration at the community level. Major themes include: (1) Loss of documentation; (2) Provision of temporary housing and accommodation; and (3) Rethinking diversity in disaster management. The study findings demonstrate that immigrants faced significant socio-economic impacts, trauma, job loss, and housing instability as a result of the flood and its aftermath. Challenges such as limited social ties within and beyond the immigrant community, limited official language fluency, and immigration status contributed to their vulnerability. Immigrant children and youth with positive support from their immigrant parents were found to be more resilient, integrated, and engaged in the community. Recommendations for disaster and emergency management agencies to address diversity factors such as immigration status, language, age, and culture that shape long-term disaster recovery experience are provided. Schools, immigrant parents, and community connections were found to play a key role in fostering immigrant child and youth resilience post-disaster.

PurposeThis article explores the community recovery and resilience element of "building back better" (BBB) through the perspectives and experiences of community influencers who provided psychosocial supports after the 2013 floods in southern Alberta, Canada.Design/methodology/approachThe Alberta Resilient Communities (ARC) project adopted a community-based research methodology to examine the lived realities of children, youth, families and their communities postflood. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 37 community influencer participants representing a range of organizations including not-for-profit agencies, community organizations, social service agencies and government departments.FindingsThe findings were drawn from the interviews held with community influencers in flood-affected communities. Major themes include disaster response challenges, insufficient funding for long-term disaster recovery, community partnerships and collaborations and building and strengthening social capital.Practical implicationsFindings demonstrate the need to build better psychosocial services, supports and resources in the long term to support community recovery and resilience postdisaster for children, youth and families to "build back better" on a psychosocial level.Social implicationsLocal social service agencies play a key role in the capacity of children, youth and families to "build back better" postdisaster. These organizations need to be resourced and prepared to respond to psychosocial needs in the long term in order to successfully contribute to postdisaster recovery.Originality/valueThe findings illustrate that adopting a psychosocial framework for disaster recovery can better inform social service disaster response and long-term recovery plans consistent with the BBB framework. Implications for social service agencies and policymakers interested in fostering postdisaster community recovery and resilience, particularly with children and youth, are presented.

AbstractObjectiveThis study evaluated a rapidly developed program designed to support family resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic.BackgroundGrounded in Walsh's family resilience framework, Families Tackling Tough Times Together (FT) disseminated weekly evidence‐informed content through a public Facebook group, partner organizations, and on a dedicated website.MethodFacebook and website analytics and weekly brief usage surveys (n with at least one = 74) documented program use, and pre‐ and post‐FT surveys (n with at least one = 49) assessed family connectedness, positive outlook, purpose in life, and stress.ResultsThe program was widely used and received favorable feedback. Participants reported less stress in weeks when they engaged in more program activities, and more family connectedness in weeks when they spent more time engaged in program materials. No significant changes were observed, however, in overall family resilience, self‐efficacy, family functioning, or stress.ConclusionThe FT program was widely used and appraised positively. Program involvement was favorably correlated with less stress and family connectedness within weeks, although long‐term changes post‐program were not observed.Implications for Emerging IdeasSocial media can be used as an effective mechanism for reaching families during times of adversity and provides preliminary data that can guide refinement of FT and other disaster‐responsive programs.

This book explores the rationale, methodologies, and results of arts-based approaches in social work research today. It is the first dedicated analysis of its kind, providing practical examples of when to choose arts-based research, how the arts are used by social work researchers and integrated with additional methods, and ways to evaluate its efficacy. The multiple examples of arts-based research in social work in this book reveal how arts methods are inherently connected to the resilience and creativity of research participants, social workers, and social work researchers. With international contributions from experts in their fields, this is a welcome overview of the arts in social work for anyone connected to the field